6 fool-proof marketing methods for startups

Marketing today has transformed remarkably from what it used to be before. With digitalisation, the growth of social media and consumer awareness, marketing has grown leaps and bounds. It is very important for a startup to have solid marketing strategies to make customers aware of the product/service and turn them into loyal users.

Here are a few marketing techniques:

1. Keep the curiosity brimming

A lot of marketers make the crucial mistake of relentlessly marketing the product and not letting people discover it for themselves. This kills curiosity and bores the customer. Instead, a marketer should develop on a back-story or a narrative to grasp the attention of the potential target audience and explain them the benefits and requirement of the offering. In this way, the curiosity remains aroused and customers remain engaged for longer. Also, try and add a personal touch to your marketing- how the start-up was built, tips from the CEO etc.

2. Engage your customers

As a marketer, your job is not to keep selling products endlessly. It is to make customers aware of the product, its benefits and keep them engaged for long. If this tactic isn’t implemented perfectly, customers will switch to different brands. Build a strong rapport with your customers so that they keep coming back to you. Engage them with discussions, content, offers and the benefits they are constantly seeking.

For instance, newspapers try and keep their customers engaged with crossword puzzles and quizzes.

3. Build a niche for yourself

Just because you are a start-up thriving on a low budget doesn’t mean you cannot build a niche for yourself. There are many tactics one could avail to actually carve a name in the industry. Constant webinars or podcasts can build your brand image in no time. Participating in exhibitions, talk shows, and fests allows you to share your story with many others and in the process also help you gain more customers. Writing for well received magazines and sites like Quora can build your brand identity in no time.

4. Build an online presence

You are living in the digital era; an era where start-ups are cropping up each day by the dozen. In such times, if you tend to lag behind and not build an online presence, it’ll be your company which is at a loss. Through social media pages, websites, blogs etc, you can easily build your online presence and continue expanding it effortlessly. A strong online presence will help you attract more customers and improve your SEO rankings as well.

5. Use coupons to up your game

With a dozen of other companies targeting your customers and offering them coupons and vouchers, why would a customer choose your brand? So, to up your game, send out irresistible vouchers to your customers which they can’t ignore. The coupons could be discounts, vouchers or redeemable ones.
For instance, FoodPanda constantly send out coupons and coupon codes to the existing customer base for repeat sales. All e-commerce sites like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal offer great coupons at which customers can buy stuff at discounted prices.

6. Try and co-sponsor an event

Brands sponsor various events to increase their bandwidth of potential customers. Big brands like Coca-cola take part in events like Health melas to promote Coke Zero and also sponsor events with social causes like the Veer Walk. If you as a start-up do not have big budgets to sponsor an entire event, begin small. Start with co-sponsoring college or school fests to gain popularity. This is a creative strategy that is bound to work and get you more recognition.

For instance, Sympulse an event organised by Symbiosis Centre for management studies has a mix of big and small sponsors like Mc Donalds, Vencobb, Mad Momos etc.